FID – Chapter 970

Chapter 970 – The Frightened Little Rabbit

“If it really is the Liu family of Xinghua Village, then there’s no need to worry about the new master collecting only thirty percent rent. His background is enough to suppress any troublemakers,” Uncle Liu said softly with a sigh. “As for us, we’ll probably be able to stay safely at the estate from now on. That’s enough, that’s enough.”

“Let’s go. We need to prepare dinner. Don’t want to delay the masters’ mealtime,” the woman said, taking her two daughters in silence toward the kitchen.

Unaware of the small stir his identity had caused in the rear courtyard, Liu Zhiqiu continued chatting and laughing in the hall. A few others had gathered in the yard, still discussing the tenant farmers of Chuanjiu Village.

“Chuanjiu Village is on the border of Yuzhou, far from the main city. The livelihood here is the poorest in all of Yuzhou for every household in the village is a tenant. I investigated the entire village before, and there are roughly sixty households, with over five hundred people. So the tenant farmers who came today aren’t all of them. Once word spreads, more will come over the next couple of days,” Liu Zhiqiu said with a grin, looking at Liu Zhixia and Feng Qingbai. “Once all the contracts are signed, we’ll need to take them to the government office to get the official seal. That’s where you two will have to step in. I’m worried the office might try to cause trouble and refuse to stamp them.”

His concern was not unfounded.

The local government and the powerful families were always intricately connected. By taking this action, he had upset the interests of other wealthy families, who would certainly try to create obstacles for him at the office. To Yuzhou officials, he was an outsider, new to the area. Why would they show him any face?

At times like this, what mattered most was background and influence.

“The town office isn’t a problem. When the time comes, I’ll send Wei Zi to handle it. Once your side is settled, I’ll write a formal letter to the Yuzhou prefect,” Feng Qingbai said calmly.

“You and Big Brother think things through far more carefully. Whether my farm thrives and lasts depends on your support.”

Liu Yusheng and Liu Muqiu exchanged a smile, both helpless at the man’s usual flippant demeanor.

When serious, he clearly had talent and insight everywhere, but he disliked being serious the most, and was frustratingly carefree.

After dinner, everyone retired to the guest quarters to rest. It was bitterly cold, and no one felt like wandering outside.

Besides, there was little to see anyway. Everywhere was covered in white snow. People huddled inside, barely venturing out.

They went to bed early, and the next morning, Liu Yusheng woke up at dawn.

Used to taking care of the two little ones, she could never sleep in. Now, finally able to rest properly, she found she couldn’t fall back asleep. Habit had her waking at this hour.

She lifted the curtain to look outside; the sky was just beginning to brighten.

The man beside her still had his eyes closed, sleeping. Liu Yusheng moved gently to get up. Just as she sat upright, a strong, firm arm wrapped around her waist and, with a gentle pull, pressed her back down.

“It’s daylight. I’ll get up first and walk in the courtyard. Continue sleeping a little longer.” Resting against the man’s chest, Liu Yusheng lowered her head and kissed the corner of his mouth, whispering softly.

“It’s still early. Stay with me a while longer, then I’ll go for a walk with you,” the man said, his eyes still closed, but his voice clear.

“You never get to sleep more than I do anyway. Besides, look at your dark circles: they’re awful. Sleep a bit more, and when you get up, you’ll spend the whole day with me.” She mischievously nipped his ear and whispered, “No one will bother us.”

The arm around her waist tightened suddenly, almost making Liu Yusheng cry out.

She jabbed at his chest with her hand, pretending to twist it angrily, then took advantage of the slight slack in his grip to scramble off the bed.

Outside the canopy, her light, triumphant laughter carried; inside, the corners of the man’s lips curved with fond amusement.

After getting dressed, Liu Yusheng opened the door and stepped out. The cold air immediately hit her, making her hunch her shoulders.

She was about to leave the courtyard to fetch hot water from the kitchen when she noticed a girl standing at the corner of the doorway, holding a wooden basin of water and staring nervously at her.

“You’re… Liu Ya?” Liu Yusheng approached. She remembered her second brother mentioning the girl’s name yesterday, so it must be her. “Why are you here? Have you been waiting long?”

The wooden basin had water that no longer steamed. The girl’s nose was red from the cold; she must have been standing there for at least fifteen minutes.

Seeing Liu Yusheng approach, Liu Ya instinctively took two steps back. Summoning courage, she forced herself to stay, not running away in fear.

She timidly lifted her eyes to meet Liu Yusheng’s, and when her gaze met the bright, gentle smile on the woman’s face, the fear in her eyes slightly receded.

When the girl remained silent, Liu Yusheng tilted her head and smiled. “Did you bring this water for me to wash up? It’s already cold. Can you take me to the kitchen to get some hot water?”

The girl’s face immediately turned bright red with embarrassment. She looked at the wooden basin. By now, the water was no longer warm. She had mustered her courage to come, but had been so nervous that she hadn’t noticed the water had cooled.

She was so flustered she almost wanted to hide the wooden basin.

But it was far too large to conceal anywhere.

In front of her, the woman still wore a gentle smile, showing no impatience, no displeasure, and certainly no anger.

Liu Ya bit her lip, took several deep breaths, and stammered, “Th-There… is ho-hot water…”

Her voice was unnaturally hoarse and stiff, as if she hadn’t spoken in a long time.

Liu Yusheng’s smile didn’t change. She nodded softly and said, “Take me there.”

Immediately, Liu Ya turned and hurriedly walked ahead, her steps anxious. She probably worried that moving too fast might anger the guest, so she kept sneaking glances back to see if the woman was following.

Like a frightened little rabbit, she was utterly endearing. Liu Yusheng had to suppress a laugh, worried that if she did, she might truly scare the girl away.

The kitchen was in the rear courtyard. 

Liu Yusheng followed the girl inside. At this moment, no one else was there, but the fire in the stove burned brightly. A large pot of water was boiling, which was likely prepared for the guests to wash up.

After washing, Liu Yusheng watched as the girl crouched by the stove to add more fire, her back tense and stiff. Smiling, Liu Yusheng turned to leave.

She still remembered the story her second brother had told: this girl, Liu Ya, must be the one who had suffered injustice. Her unusual reactions when meeting someone face-to-face revealed the psychological trauma caused by past abuse: distrust of strangers, even fear of being in a crowd.

That was why Liu Yusheng had been surprised when she first saw the girl at the doorway.

After taking a few steps, she heard quick, light footsteps behind her. 

Curious, she turned and saw Liu Ya had caught up, trailing her, hesitant and unsure what to say.

“Do you have something you want to tell me?” Liu Yusheng asked.

Liu Ya lifted her head and, summoning all her courage, met her gaze. Her lips trembled as she asked, “My Lady… are you… the L-Little Divine Doctor, L-Liu Yusheng?”

“I am,” Liu Yusheng nodded.

As soon as the words fell, Liu Ya suddenly dropped to her knees.